A roof is everything to any building. It protects you and the people who live or work in the property from various environmental conditions. Also, a roof protects everything within your home or property. But since roofing damages occur, handling damage without worsening the situation or risking livelihoods is crucial.
Of course, roofs are susceptible to several damages. For example, heavy rainfall, hailstorm, or windstorm can wreak havoc on your roofing, blowing off your shingles. Likewise, a tree branch can fall on your house. Your home can also sustain a fire outbreak or an emergency resulting from an attack by rodents.
Whichever the case, the following steps should help you handle any emergency roofing situation!
Take a Breath and Stay Calm
You will most certainly freak out when an emergency occurs, and your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. That is instinct, and many people will feel that way. However, this should not be the case as this will only worsen your situation and potentially lead to more problems. Your reaction to an emergency is crucial, and you will need to take a quick breath, stay calm, and plan your moves appropriately.
If the structure has any other occupants, look out for them, and ensure total safety. Children or adults running helter-skelter under a collapsing roof could sustain serious injuries or even fatalities.
A roof can collapse in phases, and it is essential to monitor the situation and evacuate the occupants to areas considered safer. Of course, you can only accomplish all these if you remain calm. If it is a fire outbreak, call firefighters as fast as possible.
Minimize Damage
You will probably lose considerable amounts of interior items when a roof collapses. However, you can minimize the damage once you are sure of your safety and everyone else’s. Salvage anything within the damaged area by moving them to safer places.
If you have furniture and other valuables in the damaged area, move them to areas away from the damage. A leaking roof will soak your furniture and other special items. Also, switch off your electricity sockets and unplug any appliances around the leaking area. Once you salvage whatever you can, minimize the damage by covering any gaping holes in the area using plastic tarps. You can also place containers under large holes to collect water and avoid flooding your living area.
Call Your Insurance Service Provider
Handling emergency roofing damages is complicated, and everything moves pretty fast. Of course, safety comes first, then the aspect of salvaging whatever you can. But all that should not take you hours to accomplish.
Once done, call your insurance provider to fill a claim. Indeed, they will interrogate you to determine the level of damage and the kind of emergency assistance you may need. Note down the exact time of the damage and take a few pictures using your phone if you do not own a professional camera.
Your insurance company will send an adjuster to view the damage and ascertain its worth. Then, again, you can discuss the possibility of vacating the facility during the repair period. Your insurance company may cover your new living area depending on your insurance plan.
Do Not Do It Yourself
Some homeowners opt to handle emergency repairs by themselves in an attempt to cut down on the costs. Well, cheap can be very expensive, and this is a temptation that you should avoid.
Climbing over a damaged roof can cause serious injuries. Besides, you do not have the expertise and the experience to handle such projects. So you will probably end up doing a shoddy job or damaging more items. This could prove costly in the long run.
The standard and best practice are to call a licensed roofing contractor such as https://www.loaconstruction.com/. A good contractor will assess the situation and handle it more professionally.